By Sean Cronin
Two weeks on from completing a facsimile of his banner 2022 season by notching a second victory in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix du Cadran, Europe's dominant stayer Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}–Polished Gem {Ire}, by Danehill) added lustre to a perfect 2024 campaign with a decisive success in Saturday's G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
Ballydoyle's star went postward as the 8-11 favourite to gain compensation for a neck defeat in this two-mile contest last year and stalked pacesetting stablemate The Euphrates (GB) (Frankel {GB}) until turning for home. Easing ahead approaching the quarter-mile marker, he subdued closest pursuer Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) before entering the final furlong and stayed on powerfully in the closing stages to win by 2 1/4 lengths with plenty in reserve. Sweet William's stablemate and defending champion Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) ran on to good effect and finished 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third.
“All credit goes to the team and everyone at home who has done all the work with him and have a very close connection to him,” said Aidan O'Brien after collecting a fourth edition of the marathon. “It is incredible to have him back and we thought the best that would happen would be that we could save him to go to stud. He still has a massive team around him, his stable is outside the front door and we see him every day. He is a very special horse. Ryan [Moore] was in total control on him after the first furlong, and it was a joy to watch it. He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn't matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and he switches off. Ryan rides him incredibly and knows him inside out. He is very relaxed, loves racing, and he loves this distance and finds it very comfortable. Credit to the lads for leaving him at this distance. You wouldn't have known he had had a race the last day and he didn't lose any weight. He is so laidback, his blood doesn't get up until after the race, but it takes a race to get his blood up. The plan was to come here, give him the winter off, then give him two trials before the [G1] Gold Cup next year. That's what we are working for. We will get through the winter and the spring, and try to come back here for the Gold Cup.”
Moore added, “It worked out very smoothly and I was always happy, although on paper I thought there might be more pace in the race. Good horses, they make it smooth. The ground is soft and you're not going to see the best form on this ground, but it's a great race to win.”
Co-owner Michael Tabor continued, “That was absolutely magical and just very, very special. Ryan knows Kyprios so well now and he knows where to place him early in a race. He gets in a good position and, for me, he was never going to get beat today.”
John Gosden, responsible for both second and third home, said “Both of Aidan's horses controlled the pace up front. Everybody thought there would be a good gallop and all the front runners took back, so the fractions were pretty steady and then they gradually increased and kicked off the bend. Both of ours ran exceptionally well, they probably would have preferred a stronger, even pace. There was not much William [Buick] could do about it, as he was tucked down on the inside, and Sweet William was three wide the whole way. I think we will come back with these horses next year. They are lovely horses for the staying races, both of them have great enthusiasm for it still and they make it fun these long distance horses.”
King Kyprios 👑
The best stayer of his generation wins his first QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup in style 🏆
What a mighty horse he is 🧡 @coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle
pic.twitter.com/McGEfuiD6I— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) October 19, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Kyprios is the latest of 10 foals, all winners, produced by dual Broodmare of the Year Polished Gem (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Trusted Partner (Affirmed). Trusted Partner is the third dam of this term's G2 Queen Mary victrix Leovanni (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}). Kyprios is kin to seven stakes winners headed by dual G1 Irish St Leger heroine Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes-winning sire Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and G2 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes victrix Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}). Descendants of Polished Gem, a full-sister to GI Matriarch Stakes heroine Dress To Thrill (Ire), also include G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes hero Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Kyprios's third dam, the GI Matron Stakes and GI Spinaway Stakes-winning US champion Talking Picture (Speak John), is the ancestress of G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Sydney Cup hero Gallante (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Saturday, Ascot, Britain
QIPCO BRITISH CHAMPIONS LONG DISTANCE CUP-G2, £450,000, Ascot, 10-19, 3yo/up, 15f 127yT, 3:25.91, sf.
1–KYPRIOS (IRE), 135, h, 6, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Polished Gem (Ire) (2x Broodmare Of The Year-Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Trusted Partner, by Affirmed
3rd Dam: Talking Picture, by Speak John
O-Moyglare/Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg; B-Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. £255,195. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Eng, Fr & Ire, 19-15-2-0, $3,265,812. *Full to Search For A Song (Ire), MG1SW-Ire, SW & GSP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $1,086,486; Falcon Eight (Ire), GSW-Ire & SW-Eng, $398,691; Amma Grace (Ire), SW & GSP-Ire; and 1/2 to Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), G1SW-Eng, GSW & G1SP-Ire, $926,416; Sapphire (Ire) (Medicean {GB}), MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng, $518,947; Custom Cut (Ire) (Notnowcato {GB}), MGSW-Eng & Ire, $951,925; and Valac (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), GSW-Aus, $448,653. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sweet William (Ire), 135, g, 5, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Gale Force (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). O/B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £96,750.
3–Trawlerman (Ire), 135, g, 6, Golden Horn (GB)–Tidespring (Ire), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £48,420.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.73, 8.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Caius Chorister (Fr), Al Nayyir (GB), Burdett Road (GB), The Euphrates (GB), Alsakib (GB), Belloccio (Fr).
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